FLEMING ISLAND - On most teams that win a title; any title, there is a go-to guy. Lebron, Brady, Trout, etc.

For Fleming Island High School boys soccer, the go-to guy is an obvious choice.

“He didn’t say much all season, just did his job,” said Fleming Island coach Frank Pontore. “Although I would have liked a four point lead at halftime, I was less nervous in a lot of our second halves because of Reed. He found a way for us. And he comes back next year.”

Junior forward Reed Davis not only scored 50 goals; the 50th as a topping on the Class 4A championship game where he was more decoy then point guard, not only won his team a district title and a region title, but had the most nerve-rattling playoff reign in recent Clay County history.

For that, for those end-of-games heroics, Davis has been named the Clay Today boys soccer player of the year.

Only a junior which means he’s back next year, Davis was the focal point of opposing defenses throughout the one loss season of the Golden Eagles. That did not stop him.

Leading the Frank Pontore coached Golden Eagles, Davis added drama and thrills to the mix in the region playoffs with an overtime game-winning free kick goal in the Class 4A semifinal that put Fleming Island into the state championship game.

“I was trying to chip it over the wall, but they deflected it and put it right in front of me,” said Davis. “I just took the ball and hit it. It was so fast.”

But the semifinal gamewinner was just the third last-minute gamewinner for Davis who also punched in a winner over Tallahassee Leon at 3:39 in the region final and a double overtime winner at 6:08 over Creekside in the region semifinal.

Davis, set to attend Jacksonville University after Fleming Island, has plenty of friends around him from the Golden Eagle lineup that have been selected to the Clay Today All County boys soccer first team including forwards Mark Suhrer and Marcus Murphy, both instrumental in creating the three-way threat from midfield to goal that caused chaos on opposing defense. Murphy, with an area high 23 assists plus 17 goals, offered speed and daring footwork while Suhrer, with 11 goals and seven assists, was the cerebrally-precise guy who found slivers of opportunity to take advantage of which included a game-changing first goal header in the championship game 4-0 win over Doral Academy.

From Keystone Heights, senior forward Jesus Perez was an equally adept goal scorer with his 45 goals and his prowess up front put the Indians into the district and region playoffs under coach Trevor Waters.

“Jesus was second leading scorer in area to Davis with his school record 45 goals for the season,” said Waters. “He ends his career with 100 points for one season which is pretty good.”

The fourth forward selected on the first team goes to Oakleaf High junior Andrew Henderson, who followed older brother Sam’s footsteps in boosting the Knights’ program into a very competitive squad. Bad news for Oakleaf and coach Carlos Celis is that Fleming Island was in their district.

“Andrew had 14 goals, four assists but, more important, he energized the attack and carried the team with his passing and finishing,” said Oakleaf coach Carlos Celis.

At the midfield markers for the Clay Today All County First Team, Oakleaf High’s Geo Abreu was a fleet-footed attacker; a four year starter and captain for the Knights.

Along the second front line, Oakleaf’s Albert Cooper was a lightning fast attacker that could move the ball from midfield to corner quickly. Cooper had 10 goals and four assists from his midfield position.

“Geo has been a four year starter and was our guy who started runs toward the goal,” said Celis. “Albert was a threat on the opposite side with his blazing speed. Albert had 10 goals and four assists.”

In the middle part of the midfield, Fleming Island’s Trevor Broadridge and Keystone Heights Christian Pulgarin were team leaders in keeping the ball in enemy ends of the field.

“Trevor offered great vision and was able to convert from a defensive mid to an offensive weapon very smoothly,” said Pontore.

For Waters, Pulgarun set a school record for assists with 33 plus his own 20 goals.

“A three year starter, Christian had great field presence,” said Waters.

On defense, Fleming Island’s Andrew Labelle was Pontore big gun in front of goalie Omar Zermeno and the main guy to confront opposing team’s best ballhandler.

“Andrew controlled the back of our defense and was the main reason for us giving up just 20 goals in 27 games against the toughest schedule in the area,” said Pontore.

Golden Eagle teammate Noah Hamlett was a formidable defender and was responsible for many of the goal kicks out that he blasted past the 50 for quick offensive starts.

Oakleaf High senior Kyle McDade used his height and range to thwart enemy attacks and was instrumental in clearing corner kicks in front of the Knights net.

“Kyle was a senior captain and played more midfield this year than in previous year and between him and Geo, both put their stamp on the Oakleaf program to become a higher level team,” said Celis.

In goal, any team that scores a ton of shutouts has to have a pretty good defensive front, but also an outstanding goalie. Omar Zermeno raised his game in Fleming Island’s playoff run and took on the vocal leader role for Pontore.